I took delivery of my Sangria Red ZX3 on March 13th. On March 18th it was in the shop for a recall on the fuel injection sensor. Then on March 28th, with only 707 miles on it, my transmission went out. After waiting two weeks for a new one to arrive from the assembly plant and a couple of firm e-mails to Ford's customer service department, I was informed that the problem was a design flaw in the clutch piston on the automatic transmissions. I was told that they have been redesigned and rebuilt, but since my new car had spent 18 out of the first 30 days of ownership in the shop, my confidence in its dependability is a bit shaky now.
I saw a commercial for a rental car company tonight that prominently featured a Focus sedan. I think the company was Hertz. Didn't somebody mention the likelyhood of the Focus becoming a big fleet car?
to charmpe -sorry to hear about your trans. problem.some things like this can happen to the best of cars.at least they identified the problem and corrections are being made.even though its a frustrating situation,dont lose confidence in its dependability.ask for an extended warranty beyond the 36mo./36,000 mi.- they just might take care of you for the inconvenience.hoping you are back on the road soon.
Just one week after the infamous 00E09 recall notice comes in the mail, comes a small white box from Ford Program Headquarters. Inside is a really nice custom stainless steel coffee mug "for the inconvenience". First a $100 watch and now this too? Hmmmmnn? I wonder what they'd send me if I bought a $45,000 Excursion?
Well after reading through this forum and several others, I took a test drive of a ZX3 the other day...not a long drive, but I was impressed and now want to get my own to be my every day driver (will still keep my Toyota truck)...now if I could just make up my mind on a color...like the Twilight Blue...Sangria Red and the Silver...I live in Arizona, so black is out.
Thanks zx3beast. I did opt for the extended warranty on my model. My dealer was very good about making sure I was taken care of while they fixed my transmission, loaner car etc. The service dept. is the reason this is the third Ford I've purchased from this dealer. I got my ZX3 back and ready to get to know it again! I also told the Ford customer service rep when he called that I understand that new model sometimes have bugs to be worked out, this just happened to be a big one!
Thanks ZX3beast for the link. I've been there before and the Buyer Connection at www.ford.ca only allows you to configure your car with MSRP prices. It also allows you to request a quote from a local dealership. I tried that a couple weeks ago, but no response.
Oh well, maybe they will add more stuff to the Canadian site later (?).
EBC's propaganda reads as follows for the green pads: strong response from cold; safe up to 1000 degrees F; zero rotor damage guaranteed; dust free braking. That first item is very important! Many "high performance" brake pads are race compound pads designed to work at very high temperatures. When cold, they provide almost no stopping power, and are not suitable for the street.
Hello everyone! I have been in contact with a supplier who can become licensed to produce and sell Ford Focus merchandise. This company already does work for Ford and has produced Focus T-shirts, collared shirts, posters, key chains, etc. for various Ford Motor Company events. This company also has the ability to produce other items that we may want (e.g. hats, magnets, etc.). What I would like to do is gauge interest in this type of Focus merchandise. Prices have not been set, nor has an ordering system been established. Most likely the supplier would have to receive a specific number of paid orders before they would commit to a price and run a specific product. I have no personal ties with this company, nor do I stand to gain any compensation from the sale of this merchandise. I am offering a way for Focus owners, enthusiasts and fans to buy officially licensed Ford Focus merchandise.
If you are interested, please send me e-mail at focus_stuff@yahoo.com and let me know what kind of merchandise you would be interested in and how much you would be willing to pay. This is NOT a commitment to purchase anything. I just need to know if there is enough interest to continue to pursue this.
Posters with Focus advertising slogans and graphics - Power without Focus is just wasted energy (Blue), Sound without Focus is just noise (Black), Living without Focus is only existing (Red).
T-shirts with same graphics/slogans on back and Focus logo on front (same colors as above).
Long sleeve collared shirts in various colors with embroidered Focus logo on front.
I have been making my own designed Focus t-shirts and using EPSON transfer paper to iron on the designs. Works pretty well. Might be interested in more depending on the design.
Got my first oil change, and I was nervous about possible overfill. I just couldn't find a way to say anything to the service guys without making it sound like I was trying to tell them how to do their jobs. Plus, it has been my experience that mechanics really hate it when a girl tries to tell them anything. So I just kept my mouth shut (I know, I'm a wimp!). Anyway, my fears were laid to rest when I got the car back, because there was just a slight whiff of oil that quickly disappeared. So I guess they did everything OK. Also, I asked about the recall, telling the service manager that I had read about it here and on Ford's website. He said, "The Internet is the worst thing that ever happened. You shouldn't trust anything you read there." Not quite sure what he was disenchanted with, but he calmed down when I explained that the recall was on the official Ford site.
Are we all getting mugs now? That would be cool, since I consume enough coffee to keep an elephant awake for a week.
I still get waves of satisfaction every time I get in/look at my beautiful Rainforest Green hatchling (5-spd, ABS, A/C)! Let's face it: Foci people are the coolest!!
I'm waiting till 10,000 miles for synthetic, on the advice of motorhead friends who claim to be familiar with the engine. I just got over 1000 miles yesterday. Tried to "break in" gently, but pretty much ended up driving how I drive. It's not that easy "varying" your RPM's while trying to get where you are going. I would think like, oh, am I supposed to rev now? It was weird. Also as to keeping it under 55 for 1st 1000, I couldn't do that either, on the highway. Stayed under or around 65 though and tried to be gentle and not speed.
Hello, I am not currently a focus owner, but hope to be in the near future if I can convince my wife to let me buy a new car....again. Anyway I was reading skater4's post and I was wondering...I have recieved similar response when mentioning the internet to car salesman, service people, etc. They seem to hate the internet. What I see as an extremely valuable way to communicate and find information, they seem to view as a joke, or is it a fear that the public will become too informed? Any way I think I missed the Sangria red ZX3 that my dealer had last week, so maybe I can convince my wife to let me buy one before everyone is driving one!
tickbitty, what do you think so far? worth the wait wasn't it?! my hatchling seems to like the 63-73 mph range when cruising the highway. the car and the motor just seem 'happy' in that range. i've got to be careful ... i don't want any tickets:)
I think dealers and service people would dislike the internet only if they have something to hide. For sales people trying to scam you with extended warranties, paint sealant, fabric protector, and undercoating, well, you can see why they would hate the buying public becoming informed! Service people are a bit different - they are probably concerned about being overrun with paranoid owners who claim "everyone's" Focus is having this or that problem.
On sythetic oil, many sources recommend you put a few thousand miles on a new engne before switching over. However, several manufacturers use synthetics as the factory fill - Porsches and the Corvette come with Mobil 1. When in doubt, do your first change at around 1000 miles with a good petroleum based oil, then switch on the next change.
silver bullet: do you think the extended warranty I bought was a waste of money? To me it seemed like it might be worth it since I'm most likely going to be keeping this car for more than three years. I'm a first time car buyer, so maybe I was an easy sell.... oh well... I bought the credit protection plans too, but I can dump those if I feel like I am wasting money.
Hopefully I'll be able to drive my rainforest green ZX3 by the weekend!! (5-spd, A/C)
Ha, the hatchling thing - that would be cute! Project, I'm loving this car! Just about everything about is wonderful. The non-split rear seat bottom is kind of an issue for me because I've been toting my dog around a lot. Other than that, though, everything's swell. I'm trying to keep it very nice, but I'm kind of a slob so it's an effort. My friends made fun of me because I bought new mats to protect the originals. Hey, do you have a custom plate that says "Project" ? That would be appropriate!
I saw focii all around me this weekend, almost all sedans, a couple of wagons, and one fleeting glance of a white ZX3.
got my coffee mug today ... i really like it .. i drink coffee in the morning so it will come in handy! it may make me drive faster though...hehe. anyway, i do have a couple of ideas for special plates and i am going to do it when i have some extra dough. ive spent about 3000. so far on modifications... mostly aesthetic improvements...body kit, wheels and tires. borla exhaust due by months end. i don't want to reveal my plate ideas 'cause i'm paranoid someone else in maryland will use it before i get around to it. but trust me it'll be cool. i just bought a scanner so i will be getting pics out there soon for all to see!
In VA you can log on to the DMV website, try out different personalized plates and find out if they are available, - if they are you can reserve it online! I thought of one (available!) that I'm not using, -it's a heart (on the "animal friendly" plate),- then "MY ZX3" Not taken yet folks!
There are instances where an extended warranty proves to be a real safety net, but for the most part they are very profitable insurance policies that help fatten the dealer's profit margins. The Focus comes from Ford with 3 year/36K miles of warranty protection. If the extended warranty is running at the same time as the factory protection (which you paid for in the price of the car!), you are effectively paying twice for similar coverage. I've always found it very annoying that a salesperson will try to tell you what a well designed and built car you are looking at, then turn around and in the same breath tell you how much you need the extended warranty... seems a bit contradictory. Look at it this way - the dealership is there to make money. If they weren't making some bucks off the warranty plans, they wouldn't offer them.
I talked to one dealer who got really frustrated when I mentioned the internet, and he proceeded to tell me that the invoice price was meaningless because it's different for all the dealers. He didn't want to believe that I actually had current, correct information that I could use to comparison shop. When I mentioned his junk-mail flyer that I received, he seemed relieved. OTOH, the dealer that I ended up buying from is affiliated with autobytel.com and actually had an internet sales department. They said that the higher sales volume they get through the internet allows them to keep the price low. They were also much more willing to share information with me and answer my questions. There are definitely two kinds of dealers out there, and I'm glad I took the time to find a good one.
I'm in the Niagara area and signed up to ownerconnection. Just make up a U.S. address and zip code. They contact you through e-mail anyways. It's working for me.
Recently, I was researching the Focus ZX3 for a co-worker who was tired of feeding his guzzling SUV. I was very surprised and confused that Ford does not offer a tilt wheel or factory cruise control on the ZX3, yet does on the 4door and wagon Focus. I know that would definitely keep me from buying this otherwise great car. Why in the world would Ford do something so foolish. You can get these items on the ZX2 and most, if not all,of the competition. Any explanations?
Tilt wheel, cruise, pwr windows are all available on the ZX3 as of Feb 2000. This was delayed for some reason but is now available. FYI, some Ford dealers still do not know this.
"Consumers Reports" and other consumer orientated groups recommend against "Extended Warranties" as being a waste of money. I purchased one a number of years ago, not realizing the dealer stuck it in the deal, and asked for my money back. They prorated it and I got no where near what they charged me for it. Had to make a real stink with the manufacture's credit division to get more refunded. Watch out!
Still can't find a Focus Accessory Catalog in the area (Western NYS). Have checked two dealers so far and they havn't seen them. I think it more likely they havn't ordered them, cause they probably have to pay for them. I doubt Ford gives them everything for free.
I'm glad to hear that. It didn't make any sense that they would not offer this. But sometimes Ford does things with its packaging that don't make sense to me. A dealer I visited last week did not know about the availability of these options. Thanks for the info.
The mailman delivered the little white box containing my coffee mug today. Very cool. I don't eat or drink in my car, but I'll enjoy the mug all the same. The note enclosed makes reference to the recall (that I found out about over the Ford website - still haven't gotten a snail mail notice), and apologizes for the inconvenience. I guess everyone who was affected by the 00E09 recall will be getting their mug soon...
Well, I noticed the "wavy" parts of my windshield. It's under warranty, so I'm going to take it in for a replacement.
Now for the serious problem. Today on the way home from work, the brake light started flickering on and off. I stopped, applied the E-Brake, and undid the brake. Once going again, the light came back on and off and on and off...etc etc.
Well, I noticed the "wavy" parts of my windshield. It's under warranty, so I'm going to take it in for a replacement.
Now for the serious problem. Today on the way home from work, the brake light started flickering on and off. I stopped, applied the E-Brake, and undid the brake. Once going again, the light came back on and off and on and off...etc etc.
Originally Ford did not intend to sell the hatch on the US market as they thought it looked to wacky to sell to their customers. They decided in the end that they might find a market with younger buyers for a few, so they chose to sell one model (the 5dr is on sale in Europe) with the most powerful engine to keep the young happy but stripped bare to keep the price down so that they could afford to buy it. If they are introducing all the options now, it is because they figure the market demand is there. In reality, the options have always been there, Ford just reckoned that they could only get young drivers (on a budget) to understand and appreciate the hatch version. Well that's my $0.02 worth.
tomp8-i kinda figured you knew about this site,perhaps in time they will set-up an owners connection.to all -if interested check-out www.ford.ca fascinating articles on the development of the focus. especially enjoyed reading how ford used a computerized robot to select interior materials based on how pleasant they smelled under all degrees of temperature. to anyone still sitting on the fence- focus zx3 was selected among 8 top rides under 30000 in april issue of subcompact car mag.it bested cars twice its price!demo one in the rain - you would swear the road was dry.
Was distressed to read your post about defective clutch piston in the auto trans. Does this mean that all zx3s being produced now have the redesigned and rebuilt transmissions and that those of us who have already bought one of the early models are likely to have trouble?
My shifter is still sqeaking when I shift from 1st gear into 2nd. Also sometimes sqeaks from neutral to 1st hear. Looks/sounds like the noise is comming from the ball joint at the bottom end of the shifter (underneath the shifter boot/cover). The joint seems to be well lubricated. Should I be worried about this? Just wondering if I should take a trip to the dealer or wait a few weeks until I have the oil changed....?
Also noticed that my gas mileage has jumped from 19mpg to 25mpg after 1500km/1000miles.
Thanks for the vote of confidence once again, Silver Bullet, but I just CAN'T take on the club and feel like I'd be doing all of you justice. I don't have the time I'd want to devote to it. How about this....I'll be your "official" advisor (with a female perspective).
That means it's Gabe and Silver Bullet as our fearless leaders. Now, I guess it's up to you two to e-mail carlady and get this thing on the road, so to speak!
I'm intrigued by the Focus Merchandise possibility if we can get specifically hatchling merchandise. Everything I see from Ford has sedans and wagons as the picture, and it's just not the same vehicle!
Some performance and vanity notes: my gas mileage is in the 20s, and I still only have about 680 miles on the calicomobile. I have high hopes for improvement once I reach 1000+. We have that crazy reformulated gas here in Louisville, so I only put 92 octane in her because the general performance of RFG is so poor, I want to do the best I can with what's available.
I am very impressed with my sun/moon (whatever!) roof's performance in a blinding rainstorm today. No leakage whatsoever (things have changed since the '70s). And on a sunny Saturday headed to the Springsteen concert with Born to Run at 9 on my volume control, it was a "totally excellent" option to have included on my hatchling. Ah, yes, memories of "down the shore..." Never grow up, gang! Calico1
I love reading these posts, but I wish this was a chat because I want to respond to everyone. But by the time I'm done reading the posts I forget what I wanted to say. Any way in regards to an extended warranty, I highly recommend it, simply because any time something goes wrong it's after the initial warranty expires. My Cavalier was fine for 2 years and when my extended warranty was about to expire, both my alternator and ignition switch went. I would have had to pay for these repairs out of pocket if not for the warranty. I financed my Hatchling for 5 years so I got the ESP plan to cover the car for that amount of time. Since the accident I am especially glad I got the warranty so if anything goes wrong due to the effects of the accident, I'll be covered. As for the internet, I agree that the sales people are scared that they will have to start to deal with educated consumers, that wont be fooled into buying things they dont need. The educated consumer wont be tricked into paying too much for a car. There is power in numbers and the net has unified the consumers. I did get my recall letter and post card to return once its done, which has been added to my file at the body shop. I didn't get a coffee mug yet though but I figure it took forever for my watch to get to me, maybe the mug will take as long to get to me. I really don't care about that stuff, I just want my f-ing car back already. Later gang.
I, too, got the extended warranty simply because I was afraid that, given the newness of the ZX3 and the apparent parts shortage, I'd be stuck someday with my beloved calicomobile in the shop for some minor repair that would take forever. I can't be without wheels.
drebe, I hate that we don't seem to be able to do anything to help you. Keep us updated. Calico1
Okay guys, lets get it on the roll! Sure you will do a good job, so send the e-mail to carlady.
Calico1, Ouch, you still got the reformulated gas in Louisville? We got rid of it in the Upstate NY area quite a while back. At least your starting out with a clean gas tank. That helps. It's my understanding that the bad additive is on the way out. It seems their are finding that it pollutes everything near and around stations and vehicles running it. The sooner the better. I'm still getting around 28-29 mph overall with the automatic at 7000 miles. Was doing better before the recall!
I agree with you about the ZX3 merchandising possibilities for Ford. They are really missing out in my opinion. But then, I can't find a catalog anyway.
Like the "never grow up, gang". Remember that you are as young as you "think" you are, no matter hou many years young you are.
HEY EVERYONE, AFTER 7 WEEKS I FINALLY DROVE MY CAR TODAY!!(5-SPEED, NO OPTIONS) i DROVE IT 200 MILES AND LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT. I EVEN ENJOYED THE STOP AND GO WE EXPERIENCE HERE IN NY!! THE DEALER WE GOT IT FROM HAD ATLEST 2 MORE 5-SPEED 0 OPTION HATCHBACKS (I WAS TOLD THEY ARE RARE, AND WAS SHOCKED TO SEE 3!!) I ORDERED A GREEN ON EAND AFTER SEEING MY NEW MALIBU BLUE ONE NEXT TO A GREEN, I AM GLAD I GOT BLUE. THIS CAR HANDLES AMAZING, EVEN IN THE POORING RAIN AND CURVY ROADS I ENJOYED AT THE END, AND THE SHIFTING IS SUPERB! IT HAS A SHORT THROW, AND ITS NO RUBBERY AT ALL (HONDA!) AND THE CLUTCH BITES NICE AND LOW. MY EXPECTATIONS WERE TOTALLY SURPASSED WHEN I DROVE IT!!!! GO BUY THIS CAR IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING IT p.s. the radio works and sounds great!!
Be very wary of a brake light illuminating on your dash board! This may indicate a very serious problem with your brakes. Please call the dealer and they should TOW your car to get it fixed. IMHO, it is unfit to drive when the brake light is on. Please, at least go to the dealer and get it fixed. I would not like you to get hurt. Please let us know what's up. OK?
The dealer told me today that the abs ring will arrive from Germany (!) on May 15th and I will get my car back shortly there after. Of course, this is unacceptable and I went to see the dealer manager and he offered to take an existing abs ring from a car on the lot and install it on mine and I should be on the road tomorrow with my zx-3.
I am also going to insist that Ford to pay for all my car rental since the insurance company will not.
I have had success in getting FORD to pay for my car rental for the past 3 weeks because I have been complaining and complaining to them and this has proven to be effective. I make very strong eye contact and in a calm, but firm voice....say......I am very disappointed in this situation. But.....you must speak to the right people.....not the parts guy or the mechanic...go see the manager of the dealership to get any action.
Today, I stood in the showroom and waited for about an hour to talk to the general manager. I said, I have the time and I will wait even though he is in 'meetings.'
Don't let them walk over you if you have problems with your car. Drebe....I feel so sorry for you. I really hope you get your car back soon. I think they have been very bad to you. Much worse than me.
Take care and I will let you know if I get my ZX3 back
I'm seeing more and more primer. I thought they were going to at least paint my car correctly. I'm not talking about under the car, under the hood or lifting up the trunk either. The machine actually did a good job there. This is all found while washing the outside of my car and the doors while open.
The fender edges, on both sides, facing the door. This is visible when you open the door and look through the gap at the fender. It looked awful on a black sedan, because the primer is tan. On a gold one, it look like the fender was painted correctly, but it was in the dealer garage and like I said, the primer is tan, almost like the gold. This is usually painted by body shops before the fender is installed on the car. Ford did the hinges, the hood and the inside of the third door.
The door part facing the fender. I can't really see it, unless washing the car.
Scratches between the third brake light and the back glass. There are several scratches that look like they were done with a screw driver.
The gutters on both side back glasses have primer. I saw what looked like splashes of black paint in the gutters of a silver ZX3 I saw. Personally, I would like a rubber strip that ran from the front of the top part of the rear back glasses to the back of the brake light and just fill in that huge (for most cars, after all I'm seeing the wiring when looking down the crack) gap.
One of the lot boys said that cars were coming in with water spots underneath the clear coat.
dont ever stop speaking up.i admire your tenacity. after all ,there was nothing defective with your hard-earned money you gave to them.today, if one doesnt insist on good service you will rarely get it.hope to hear you are back motoring again.
that is ridiculous! when you spend hard earned cash to get a new car it shouldn't have that crappy of a paint job. you should insist on having the car repainted. if they agree maybe you could go with a 'wild' color like zinc yellow?? anyway, i wish you luck and i hope it works out for you.
Comments
problem.some things like this can happen to the best of cars.at least they identified the problem
and corrections are being made.even though its a frustrating situation,dont lose confidence in its
dependability.ask for an extended warranty beyond the 36mo./36,000 mi.- they just might take care of you for the inconvenience.hoping you are back on
the road soon.
Oh well, maybe they will add more stuff to the Canadian site later (?).
If you are interested, please send me e-mail at focus_stuff@yahoo.com and let me know what kind of merchandise you would be interested in and how much you would be willing to pay. This is NOT a commitment to purchase anything. I just need to know if there is enough interest to continue to pursue this.
Eric
--------------------------------------------------
Merchandise that has been produced:
Posters with Focus advertising slogans and graphics - Power without Focus is just wasted energy (Blue), Sound without Focus is just noise (Black), Living without Focus is only existing (Red).
T-shirts with same graphics/slogans on back and Focus logo on front (same colors as above).
Long sleeve collared shirts in various colors with embroidered Focus logo on front.
Might be interested in more depending on the design.
Are we all getting mugs now? That would be cool, since I consume enough coffee to keep an elephant awake for a week.
I still get waves of satisfaction every time I get in/look at my beautiful Rainforest Green hatchling (5-spd, ABS, A/C)! Let's face it: Foci people are the coolest!!
On sythetic oil, many sources recommend you put a few thousand miles on a new engne before switching over. However, several manufacturers use synthetics as the factory fill - Porsches and the Corvette come with Mobil 1. When in doubt, do your first change at around 1000 miles with a good petroleum based oil, then switch on the next change.
"HATCHLING"
that I could attach just under the ZX3 lettering.
Hopefully I'll be able to drive my rainforest green ZX3 by the weekend!! (5-spd, A/C)
Project, I'm loving this car! Just about everything about is wonderful. The non-split rear seat bottom is kind of an issue for me because I've been toting my dog around a lot. Other than that, though, everything's swell. I'm trying to keep it very nice, but I'm kind of a slob so it's an effort. My friends made fun of me because I bought new mats to protect the originals. Hey, do you have a custom plate that says "Project" ? That would be appropriate!
I saw focii all around me this weekend, almost all sedans, a couple of wagons, and one fleeting glance of a white ZX3.
Audiolizard
"Consumers Reports" and other consumer orientated groups recommend against "Extended Warranties" as being a waste of money. I purchased one a number of years ago, not realizing the dealer stuck it in the deal, and asked for my money back. They prorated it and I got no where near what they charged me for it. Had to make a real stink with the manufacture's credit division to get more refunded.
Watch out!
Pat
Pat
Now for the serious problem. Today on the way home from work, the brake light started flickering on and off. I stopped, applied the E-Brake, and undid the brake. Once going again, the light came back on and off and on and off...etc etc.
Any reports of this problem?
Now for the serious problem. Today on the way home from work, the brake light started flickering on and off. I stopped, applied the E-Brake, and undid the brake. Once going again, the light came back on and off and on and off...etc etc.
Any reports of this problem?
If they are introducing all the options now, it is because they figure the market demand is there. In reality, the options have always been there, Ford just reckoned that they could only get young drivers (on a budget) to understand and appreciate the hatch version.
Well that's my $0.02 worth.
www.ford.ca fascinating articles on the development of the focus. especially enjoyed reading how ford used a computerized robot to
select interior materials based on how pleasant they smelled under all degrees of temperature.
to anyone still sitting on the fence- focus zx3
was selected among 8 top rides under 30000 in
april issue of subcompact car mag.it bested cars twice its price!demo one in the rain - you would
swear the road was dry.
of the options. the wacky is what appealed to me first.are owners like the cars they drive?
Also noticed that my gas mileage has jumped from 19mpg to 25mpg after 1500km/1000miles.
That means it's Gabe and Silver Bullet as our fearless leaders. Now, I guess it's up to you two to e-mail carlady and get this thing on the road, so to speak!
I'm intrigued by the Focus Merchandise possibility if we can get specifically hatchling merchandise. Everything I see from Ford has sedans and wagons as the picture, and it's just not the same vehicle!
Some performance and vanity notes: my gas mileage is in the 20s, and I still only have about 680 miles on the calicomobile. I have high hopes for improvement once I reach 1000+. We have that crazy reformulated gas here in Louisville, so I only put 92 octane in her because the general performance of RFG is so poor, I want to do the best I can with what's available.
I am very impressed with my sun/moon (whatever!) roof's performance in a blinding rainstorm today. No leakage whatsoever (things have changed since the '70s). And on a sunny Saturday headed to the Springsteen concert with Born to Run at 9 on my volume control, it was a "totally excellent" option to have included on my hatchling. Ah, yes, memories of "down the shore..." Never grow up, gang!
Calico1
As for the internet, I agree that the sales people are scared that they will have to start to deal with educated consumers, that wont be fooled into buying things they dont need. The educated consumer wont be tricked into paying too much for a car. There is power in numbers and the net has unified the consumers.
I did get my recall letter and post card to return once its done, which has been added to my file at the body shop. I didn't get a coffee mug yet though but I figure it took forever for my watch to get to me, maybe the mug will take as long to get to me. I really don't care about that stuff, I just want my f-ing car back already.
Later gang.
drebe, I hate that we don't seem to be able to do anything to help you. Keep us updated.
Calico1
Calico1, Ouch, you still got the reformulated gas in Louisville? We got rid of it in the Upstate NY area quite a while back. At least your starting out with a clean gas tank. That helps. It's my understanding that the bad additive is on the way out. It seems their are finding that it pollutes everything near and around stations and vehicles running it. The sooner the better. I'm still getting around 28-29 mph overall with the automatic at 7000 miles. Was doing better before the recall!
I agree with you about the ZX3 merchandising possibilities for Ford. They are really missing out in my opinion. But then, I can't find a catalog anyway.
Like the "never grow up, gang". Remember that you are as young as you "think" you are, no matter hou many years young you are.
Pat
THIS CAR HANDLES AMAZING, EVEN IN THE POORING RAIN AND CURVY ROADS I ENJOYED AT THE END, AND THE SHIFTING IS SUPERB! IT HAS A SHORT THROW, AND ITS NO RUBBERY AT ALL (HONDA!) AND THE CLUTCH BITES NICE AND LOW. MY EXPECTATIONS WERE TOTALLY SURPASSED WHEN I DROVE IT!!!!
GO BUY THIS CAR IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING IT
p.s. the radio works and sounds great!!
BBBBBBBBBAAAAAAAAABBBBBBBBBYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!
I'M SO EXCITED (can u tell??)
Be very wary of a brake light illuminating on your dash board! This may indicate a very serious problem with your brakes. Please call the dealer and they should TOW your car to get it fixed. IMHO, it is unfit to drive when the brake light is on. Please, at least go to the dealer and get it fixed. I would not like you to get hurt. Please let us know what's up. OK?
ND
I am also going to insist that Ford to pay for all my car rental since the insurance company will not.
I have had success in getting FORD to pay for my car rental for the past 3 weeks because I have been complaining and complaining to them and this has proven to be effective. I make very strong eye contact and in a calm, but firm voice....say......I am very disappointed in this situation. But.....you must speak to the right people.....not the parts guy or the mechanic...go see the manager of the dealership to get any action.
Today, I stood in the showroom and waited for about an hour to talk to the general manager. I said, I have the time and I will wait even though he is in 'meetings.'
Don't let them walk over you if you have problems with your car. Drebe....I feel so sorry for you. I really hope you get your car back soon. I think they have been very bad to you. Much worse than me.
Take care and I will let you know if I get my ZX3 back
ND
The fender edges, on both sides, facing the door. This is visible when you open the door and look through the gap at the fender. It looked awful on a black sedan, because the primer is tan. On a gold one, it look like the fender was painted correctly, but it was in the dealer garage and like I said, the primer is tan, almost like the gold. This is usually painted by body shops before the fender is installed on the car. Ford did the hinges, the hood and the inside of the third door.
The door part facing the fender. I can't really see it, unless washing the car.
Scratches between the third brake light and the back glass. There are several scratches that look like they were done with a screw driver.
The gutters on both side back glasses have primer. I saw what looked like splashes of black paint in the gutters of a silver ZX3 I saw. Personally, I would like a rubber strip that ran from the front of the top part of the rear back glasses to the back of the brake light and just fill in that huge (for most cars, after all I'm seeing the wiring when looking down the crack) gap.
One of the lot boys said that cars were coming in with water spots underneath the clear coat.
My car does run good and I like the inside.
after all ,there was nothing defective with your hard-earned money you gave to them.today, if one
doesnt insist on good service you will rarely get it.hope to hear you are back motoring again.